The aim of this overview paper is to analyse the inclusion and use of the ecosystem services concept in scientific studies of degraded peatlands and peatland restoration. Publications indexed by the Institute of Science Information (ISI) Web of Science (WoS) from 1980 to October 2009 were analysed. Word combinations relevant to peatland ecosystem services in the title, keywords and abstract were used. We followed the division of ecosystem services into four categories: supporting, regulating, provisioning and cultural, as provided by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005). The analysis indicated that the concept of ecosystem services is not referred to explicitly in ISI WoS studies on peatland restoration. The interpretation of the content identified using search phrases related to various beneficial functions of peatlands showed that they mainly include information on regulating and supporting ecosystem services critical to sustaining vital ecosystem functions that deliver benefits to people. There are only a few articles addressing provisioning and cultural ecosystem services. One of the key issues concerning the effect of peatland restoration in the provisioning of ecosystem services is the balance of greenhouse gases and their role in global climate regulation.

No abstract

Abstract-The Ilumetsa impact craters were discovered in 1938 in the course of geological mapping.In the crater field area, the Middle Devonian bedrock consists of light-yellow weakly cemented siltstones and sandstones of the Givetian Burtnieki Regional Stage, which are overlain by a 1-2 m thick layer of reddish-brown loamy till. Pdrguhaud, the biggest crater, has a diameter of 75-80 m at the top of the uplifted rim and is 12.5 m deep. The zone of authochtonous breccias below the apparent crater extends to 30 m deep. The crater is partly filled with a thin layer of gyttja and peat up to 2 m thick. Radiocarbon ages of 6030 ? 100 (TA-3 10) and 5910 ? 100 (TA-725) years B.P. from the lowermost organic layer and palynological evidence suggest that the age of the impact was -6000 14C years B.P. The Sugavhaud crater has a diameter of 50 m at the top of the rim and is 4.5 m deep. Organic matter on the bottom of the crater is absent. As precise age determination of the Ilumetsa craters by direct dating methods has proved inconclusive, we proposed a method of geological correlation which is based on the occurrence of impact spherules in lake and bog sediments around the crater field. Radiocarbon dating of samples from a peat layer with glassy spherules of impact origin in the Meenikunno Bog, 6 km southwest of the Ilumetsa crater field, yielded the ages of 6542 2 50 (Tln-22 14) for the depth interval 5.6-5.7 m and 6697 ? 50 (Tln-23 16) years B.P. for the depth interval 5.7-5.8 m. These dates suggest that the Ilumetsa craters were formed -6600 years ago.

No abstract

No abstract